Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I'll be watching, will you?

Don’t call me Wednesday night, I won’t answer. I will either be glued to the television or have my ear up to the radio to hear the State of the Union Speech. Why all the interest? According to this article in the NYTimes, there will be proposed cuts in the State of the Union speech on Wednesday. However, these will be cuts in domestic spending. Quoted directly from the article: “The administration officials said the part of the budget they have singled out — $447 billion in domestic programs — amounts to a relatively small share, about one-eighth, of the overall federal budget.”

Also from the article, “The estimated $250 billion in savings over 10 years would be less than 3 percent of the roughly $9 trillion in additional deficits the government is expected to accumulate over that time.” $250 billion in savings sounds impressive, but when you average it over the 10 years it equals $25 billion per year, which is literally – pennies.

Another thing to consider is the reaction that the elected officials will have to the proposed cuts. Since these will affect domestic spending, and they are coming up on running for office again this year, will they support the cuts? Are they willing to risk upsetting their constituents? (Congress only approved approximately three-fifths of the cuts that were proposed in last year’s budget.)

Our founding fathers wanted America to be “By the people, for the people”, and not have the government run the banks or the auto and health industries. Are there too many entitlements, too many lobbyists, too many specialty programs, too much pork? Are we handing over too much authority to the elected officials, or are they simply not listening to us? What about an honest look at what we need, and fund those programs. Remember the stimulus, giving money to the banks after they made all those foolish loans? Did they really deserve to be pumped up with our money?

Please read the article. And tell me what YOU think. And listen tomorrow night.

Full disclosure: I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I vote based on the record of the candidate. I welcome your point of view on the subject of how our government is working, since it is by listening that we learn.

5 comments:

Maybe I should be watching but I guess I just feel that actions speak louder than words when it comes to politics...or at least that they should.

I have so many thoughts on domestic spending...but I'll just say that I hope they cut it waaay back. I'm not a fan of big Govt & I tend to think that Govt is as big as its budget & ours is just out of control.

Kudos for tackling an often taboo topic & going so far as to ask for comments :)

Well, Farmgal, it's POST State of the Union Address and I am just now catching up on your blog!

I am rooting you on in this one. YES too much PORK! Too many programs! Especially when the likes of Geithner are behind these decisions.

The thing about big government is, you have virtually the SAME guys running big gov't as are running large corporations. "Business" men. Politicians. Family money. Ambitious, driven people with selective hearing. Same old stuff-- too much spending, too many special interests and clandestine motives-- no matter whose running it.

I think what we've become as a nation is FAR from what the founding fathers had in mind. It's absurd and would be comical if it weren't such a serious matter. Both Repubs and Dems have totally lost focus and want too much of one thing.

There needs to be more moderation in ALL that we do. Especially in national and political matters.

And for Heaven's sake, somebody make Pres. Obama STOP chastising Rebubs for not coming to his far-leftist side! Of course they aren't voting for his policies because his policies are so far beyond Republican foundational thought!

And on the same note, for Heaven's sake Obama critics LET THE MAN take his wife out for a high class date in NYC without blubbering about the cost! Goog grief.

The 4 Bushel Farmgal

Where I've been, where I'm going

So far it’s been a good life. I’ve lived in both rural and metro areas, waited tables and reviewed chromatograms, rounded up loose sheep and spent beautiful summer evenings at concerts in Central Park. I’ve painted a house, kissed the Blarney stone, and pushed a lawn mower with a baby on my back. Currently I’m working 9 to 5, going to the gym, sneaking a donut, a good book, or a visit with my grown sons when I can. Where do I go from here? I'd like a small house with enough land to homestead.